Griffin Chronicles: Griffin Quest
by CrystalMuse
Summary: The evil demon Eclipse has taken hold of the land of Damona. A teenage priestess in training holds the key to his destruction, but she cannot do it alone...
1. Griffin Quest Part I: An Unlikely Band

**Griffin Quest**

**Part I:**

**An Unlikely Band**

**Prologue**

Spring was gone. Summer had disappeared. Snow would not grace the desolate landscape, and the trees were bare. It was not autumn, but it was nothing else. A curse had been put upon the land of Damona, by the dread demon known only as Eclipse. For three summers, the once fertile valleys were wastelands. The peasant farmers could grow nothing, and the livestock diminished. There was barely anything to eat; the villagers ate either their sickly cattle or had to venture three days walk to the next town, and those who dared make the journey scarcely returned. The peasants' sorrow gave power to Eclipse, but deep within the mountains of Mac Cacht, in the springs of Borvo, there lay a noble warrior, young in years but skilled in all combat. There stood a shrine in his honor, holding his body in a dusty glass coffin for all to see. For the decade that he lay there, his still body had not aged one day nor decayed. There was no life in him; his heart had ceased to beat, his skin could be mistaken for stone, his complexion held nothing but white marble. The caves of Mac Cacht had but one entrance, yet that had been overrun by blackthorn shrubs and was not visible to the nonchalant. Runic symbols ringed the mouth of the cave, and only one with magical knowledge could understand their significance, but no one dared to venture close to the Mac Cacht, for the stronghold of Eclipse sat on the crest of the mountains.

**I**

Bevan stumbled up the barren hillside, clutching his arm. Blood seeped from between his fingers and over the back of his hand. Pain shot through his nerves with every step. He collapsed at the base of a naked tree, his breath ragged. Looking up through his mess of light brown hair, he saw a swarm of crows. They were the same ones that had followed him across the valley, swooping in to see if they could scar his flesh. Unfortunately, one of the larger scavengers had hit its mark, and, sensing freshly spilt blood, the others followed in its lead, creating a tattered gash in Bevan's arm which reached from his shoulder to his elbow. As he watched his attackers circle in the air, he knew he didn't have a lot of time to call for help.

"Cathal!" His voice was strong and given wings by the wind. It took but a few seconds for a shriek to be heard in reply. Out of the sky flew a great shadow. It screeched loudly and attacked the scavengers, driving them back to the mountains from whence they came.

"Cathal, help me up." Bevan's voice was faint from fatigue, but the blur of protection heard his friend's plea and landed softly next to him. Its hind quarters were that of a lion, golden furred, powerful, and possessing dangerously sharp yet retractable claws. Its wings were gently folded by its side. The rest of it was that of a bird of prey, with sharp eyes and a curved beak. Altogether it stood seven feet tall and had a wingspan of twenty feet.

Bowing his head, Cathal helped his injured friend to his feet, then up and onto his back. Bevan's head drooped onto the griffin's neck. Worried by this unusual movement of his companion, Cathal quickly took to the skies and headed to the nearby village of Damona, hoping there was a healer there who could help.

**II**

Bevan awoke, startled by the noise of running water. His eyes shot open only to see a young girl about his age sitting next to him. She had long black hair that was tied back in a braid. Her eyes were almost silver, and her hands worked at her task with great dexterity. She was wearing a comfortably fitting green dress. She was ringing the water out of a cloth and into a bowl that lay on a small table next to her. She smiled at him and put the cool cloth on his forehead. There was a faint smell of roses.

"Glad to see you're awake," she said, her Gaelic accent ringing in his ears. "You've been asleep a long time, almost a moon's cycle." She stood and went to the window. Cathal could be seen there, his head inside the small building. The girl went to stroke the griffin and, alarmed, Bevan cried out hoarsely, trying to stop her. To his surprise, a cat-like purr emitted from Cathal's throat as the girl's fingers smoothed the feathers on his head.

"Your griffin is very nice," she said, looking back at Bevan. "When he brought you here, I didn't know what to expect. It's not every day that a large aerial creature brings an injured person to my door." She scratched Cathal under his chin as she spoke. "It almost looked like he was crying."

"Who are you?" Bevan's voice was weak.

"Ssh," she whispered, walking towards him. She sat down next to him and took the cloth from his forehead, placing it in the bowl. "My name is Aislin. And you are?"

"Bevan. My griffin's name is Cathal."

"Nice to meet you, Bevan." She replaced the damp handkerchief and muttered some words that he couldn't understand. His strength was returning rapidly. Turning her attention to a bookcase next to the bed upon which he was laying, she pulled out a thick tome and began to flip through its pages. By the time she had finished and put it away, Bevan was sitting up on the edge of the bed. He placed the cloth on the table next to the water bowl. Rose petals were floating on the surface.

"What did you say?" he asked as he got up and stretched. There was no more pain in his arm, and there was also no more gash; just a thin scar. "I couldn't understand you."

"Just some words of healing," she said with a smile. "I _am_ a healer, you know." Sighing, she went to the window. Cathal had pulled his head out and was now sitting under the window, looking around, waiting anxiously for Bevan to come out.

"If only I could heal the land," she whispered under her breath. "There is a way, but I can't do it alone." By now she was talking more to herself than to Bevan, who was still examining his arm. At these words he looked up at her, shocked.

"You know of a way to stop Eclipse?" His voice was full of excitement. She turned to him and nodded, then went to the bookcase.

"I am more than just a healer," she said, her sweet voice interlaced with her Gaelic accent. "I am a priestess in training." She withdrew three tomes from the shelves. Each one had leather bindings and a different rune on the covers:

She passed them to Bevan.

"What do they mean?" he asked, confused.

"Eolh," she said, pointing to the first one. "Luck and protection." She pointed to the second one. "Beorc, for healing and renewal." Touching her index finger to the third sign, she murmured, "Thorn, for destruction and power."

"With these we could destroy Eclipse." Bevan was awed.

**III**

"You know of the old shrine, right?"

At dawn, Bevan and Aislin were airborne, flying through the clouds on Cathal's back towards the Mac Cacht Mountains. The barren valley lay beneath them, and Aislin was searching the ground for something.

"Yes, I know of what you speak," said Bevan in response to Aislin's question. "I don't know where it is, though. I thought its location was lost." He looked back at Aislin, who was sitting behind him, her arms encircling his waist. She had put her braid up into a bun so that it would not be whipped around by the wind. Also, she had changed from her green dress to brown cotton pants and a cream colored shirt, so she could sit astride Cathal. Aislin looked up at him, peering into his copper colored eyes. She smiled and broke their gaze, looking down at the landscape again. A large cluster of bushes caught her eye. The bushes and the area around it were green and full of life, very odd due to the death curse that Eclipse had cast upon the land.

"Land there!" she cried excitedly as she pointed. "By those bushes!" Bevan nudged Cathal's side and the griffin started his spiral descent. They landed on the wasteland, a few yards away from the green grass and shrubs. Aislin jumped off of Cathal and half sprinted to the bushes, ecstatic to see greenery for the first time in three years.

"This is the place," she said, breathless. "He's in there, beyond those bushes. I would bet my life on it." Bevan vaulted off Cathal, and the two of them walked over to her.

"In where?" asked Bevan. He saw nothing but the mountain side and the bushes. There were thorns on those bushes, too. "Who is in where?"

"The warrior," explained Aislin. "The warrior is in that cave! Don't you see it? Can't you see the—" She stopped short, her eyes caught on a glitter on the stone. _"Runes,"_ she murmured, barely audible.

"What? Where? I don't see any."

"They're around the mouth of the cave, which is hidden by the bushes and the power of the runes."

"I don't—"

"I know you don't see it. That's okay — you'll see it soon enough." She stood in front of the blackthorn shrubs and clasped her hands together at chest level, all fingers folded down except for her indexes and thumbs. When she spoke, her voice was otherworldly, ethereal.

"_EOLH! TYR! BEORC! LAGU! SIGIL!"_ She called out the names of each of the runes in turn, and as she spoke, the runes lit with a silvery glow. The cave entrance shimmered. Bevan gasped as the mouth of the cave became visible to him, and Cathal took a step back. Aislin continued to speak.

"_BLACKTHORN PART! ETHEL PEORDH NYD!" _

There was a small rumbling from the bushes. Swaying with an imaginary breeze, the blackthorn shrubs parted, giving Aislin and her companions a clear path into the cave. She started to move ahead and then realized that Bevan and Cathal weren't following her.

"What's wrong?" she asked. Her voice was back to its sweet tone, as if nothing had happened. "Aren't you coming? We have to wake up the warrior."

"What!" Bevan was surprised that she would even suggest doing something like that. "Go it _there?_ After _that?_ How do I know it's safe?" He took a step back and laid a hand on Cathal's neck, eyes wide.

"I promise it's safe," Aislin said sweetly. "Nothing will hurt you." She reached out her hand to him. Bevan looked up at Cathal and then reluctantly took Aislin's hand. The three of them went into the cave, and the shrubs closed up behind them, making the entrance all but invisible once again.

The runes glowed silver.

**IV**

"Tell me again how we are going to wake up the warrior?"

Bevan followed close behind Aislin, who was lighting the way with an amulet that hung around her neck. He was more in tune with the minds of the creatures that inhabited the world than he was with the raw energies and was full of questions that Aislin patiently answered.

"For the third time," Aislin said, smiling at her friend's interest and forgetfulness, "it's all in the books, which are in the riding bag on Cathal." The griffin squawked happily, having heard his name.

"We're here," she said. She held up the amulet and spoke one simple word.

_"LUMINA!"_

The light from the amulet burst forth, sending sparks dancing across the room in the shape of faeries. With the light in every corner, they could see quite clearly. The room was expansive, and in front of the far wall stood a statue of a knight. At the foot of the statue was a glass coffin, and within was the young warrior. On either end of the coffin was a torch, yet they had gone out years ago with no one to watch after them. Aislin took some pieces of straw from the ground as well as bits of cloth that she had packed from Cathal's bag. She filled the torches with these and directed a faerie-like spark to each one. The torches were ablaze in seconds and gave more light to the shrine. A glitter on the coffin caught Bevan's eye.

"What's this?" he asked, going over to it. There was an inscription in silver on the coffin lid. He couldn't read the words. He reached out and put his fingers on it lightly. The next thing he knew, his head throbbed, his eyes were clenched shut, and he was on the ground. Aislin was kneeling down next to him.

"Are you okay?" she asked, worriedly. Bevan stood, his head still pounding. He heard Cathal let out a growl.

"What happened?" He opened his eyes and found that he was nowhere near the coffin. In fact, he was against the far wall across from the coffin.

"You touched the protective seal and it reacted." Aislin looked over towards the coffin. She stroked Cathal's neck to soothe him, then reached into the riding bag and withdrew one of her books.

"Beorc," she murmured, "for healing and renewal. As she flipped through the pages of the tome, she paced the room, one of her spark-faeries following her to shed light on the words within. Minutes passed, pages flipped, and Bevan and Cathal sat patiently, as far away from the coffin as possible.

"And she said it was going to be safe," Bevan whispered sarcastically to the griffin. Cathal cocked his head to one side. Bevan's head still pounded.

Snapping the book shut and letting the spark-faerie go on its way, Aislin declared, "I know what we have to do." She began to rummage through the riding bag, looking for the ingredients that she needed. "I need a griffin feather," she said to Bevan. "Could you please ask Cathal if I may have one? He is _your_ griffin, not mine, so I shouldn't ask." Bottles clinked together inside the bag and Aislin extracted those that she needed, putting them on the ground near the coffin. After a bit of coaxing and pleading, Bevan had the feather from Cathal, but only after promising the griffin that he could eat a fresh cow after the ordeal was over, if they lived to the end of it. Aislin looked at Bevan when she heard this and raised an eyebrow, but Bevan only shrugged.

"How else was I supposed to get the feather for you?" he asked, smiling. Aislin smiled back, laughing as well.

"Oh well," she said, rolling her eyes. She turned her attention back to the glass containers in front of her. She placed them on top of the coffin, being careful not to touch the silver seal. With different colored powders she made five runes on the seal. The runes began to glow as she finished them, until the whole coffin was glowing inside and out with rainbow hues. She removed the bottles from the coffin lid and put them back in Cathal's bag. She took out a white candle and lit it from one of the torches. She let the wax drip on the coffin in the shape of a sixth and final rune. This, too, began to glow as she snuffed out the candle with her fingertips. She replaced the candle in the bag and clasped her hands in front of her again, at chest level. Bevan and Cathal stepped back.

_"NYD! UR! BEORC! LAGU! SIGIL!" _Her voice was again ethereal.

_"NYD! UR! BEORC! LAGU! SIGIL!"_ She spoke louder this time.

_"NYD! UR! BEORC! LAGU! SIGIL!"_ Flinging her hands out in front of her, she raised them to the warrior statue that stood before her.

_"HAEGL! HAEGL! HAEGL!"_ She grasped the griffin feather in her right hand like a knife and brought it down so the tip touched the glass lid, as if to pierce it.

A cool wind blew from nowhere.

The lid began to crack, spreading from where the feather touched it.

The warrior in the coffin opened his eyes.

**V**

Bevan gasped, making sure to stay back. He had heard the cracking of the glass case, and he was even more surprised when the whole coffin shattered. Pieces fell to the floor in small and large chunks. His eyes grew wide at the events that were unfolding before him.

Aislin was holding her hand out to the warrior, who was now breathing and blinking. His chest rose slowly as he savored the cool air that filled his lungs. He took Aislin's hand and sat up. She held out the griffin feather to him.

"Your grace," she said, not knowing what else to say, "please accept this griffin feather as a token of those who have awoken you."

He took the feather from her and laced it in his belt, next to his scabbard.

"My name is Calhoun," he said. His voice was deep, his eyes were blue, and his hair was blond. "You have called upon me for what reason?" He surveyed his company within the cave.

"Please, lordship," began Aislin.

"Just call me Calhoun."

"Calhoun, the demon Eclipse has put a curse upon our land and we desperately need your help in defeating him." Hearing the name Eclipse jolted Calhoun's memory, and he stood quickly.

"I know of this demon," he said, cracking his neck and his fingers. "We must vanquish him quickly." He began to walk out of the cave, but stopped. "How long has this curse been upon your people?"

"Three summers," said Bevan, who was now next to Calhoun. "And he gets stronger every year. He has made his stronghold on the peak of these mountains."

"Let us go," said Aislin. "I don't want to waste another minute." She called her spark-faeries back to her amulet with a word and led the way out of the cave. The bushes at the entrance opened so they could pass and then immediately closed behind them.

"I am Aislin," she said to Calhoun as they climbed onto Cathal's back, "apprentice priestess."

"I am Bevan, the griffin rider." He was already mounted and held a hand out to Calhoun. Calhoun took his offered hand and sat behind Aislin. "This here is Cathal. He's a great friend." Bevan nudged Cathal in the sides and they shot into the air.

**VI**

They landed on the peak of Mac Cacht, right in front of Eclipse's stronghold. Assessing the situation, they rose again on Cathal's back to a large balcony that overlooked the barren land. The railing along the edge of the balcony was made of bones and skulls.

"How fitting," Aislin murmured quietly. They dismounted and crept towards the blood red curtains that billowed out from the room within. Calhoun drew his sword, Bevan unsheathed his daggers, and Aislin pulled a few small vials of liquid from Cathal's riding bag.

Pulling the curtain aside, the four of them entered the dimly lit chamber.

"I've been waiting for you!" The voice came from nowhere and reverberated off the walls. It was deep and menacing. The dim lights went out. Fire burst from behind them. They turned around to see Eclipse standing, or rather levitating, there. He was a shadow, engulfed in flames, his eyes glowing red. "Now you die!" He lunged towards them, shadowed arm outstretched. Claws grew from the flames. He slashed at Calhoun. Calhoun blocked with his sword and kicked. To his surprise, he connected with something solid. However, his pant leg caught on fire and he had to jump back. He put it out just in time to see Eclipse come towards him again. This time he didn't have time to block. Eclipse attacked, his claws ripping down Calhoun's chest, burning his shirt and his skin. Calhoun's blood steamed as it hit the floor. Bevan came around from behind him and threw his daggers into Eclipse's side and back. Eclipse shrieked. The sound was worse than a banshee's wail. He turned to Bevan and attacked, raking his claws down Bevan's back, ripping his shirt and tearing at his skin. The smell of burnt flesh rose from the two young men on the floor. Injured as they were, they struggled to their feet, weapons raised.

Cathal spread his wings and rose off the ground, planning to hit Eclipse with an aerial attack. Looking up, the demon spotted the griffin just as he began to dive. Holding one hand out towards Cathal, Eclipse sent a fireball in his direction. Cathal barely got out of the way; the fireball grazed his left wing tip and exploded against the far wall. The griffin landed next to Bevan, to steady him as he pulled yet another throwing knife out of a hidden sheath. Aislin rushed over to Calhoun and pulled out a small bottle. She uncorked it and held it to his lips. As he drank it, she murmured, _"Lagu…Ur…Eoh…"_ He felt his strength returning. He dashed around Eclipse with lightning speed, assaulting him mercilessly.

Meanwhile, Aislin tended to Bevan, giving him the same potion and speaking the same words that she had to Calhoun. Soon, he was full of fighting energy. He joined the battle, running around Eclipse in the opposite direction that Calhoun was. Small yet effective throwing knives left his fingers at amazing speed and each one hit their target dead on. Eclipse screamed out in frustration, taking a swing at Calhoun. He parried, ducked and stabbed. Bevan took advantage of Calhoun's attack and hit the demon hard in the back with five knives. Cathal was airborne once more. He added his fierce aerial attacks to the fray, shrieking out each time he hit his target.

Eclipse grew weary of the oncoming assaults. He bent over and covered his head with his arms. Confused, Calhoun and Bevan stood their ground, not knowing if the demon had given up or was merely faking it. Their two seconds of delay gave Eclipse all the time he needed. Screeching loudly, he burst forth, throwing his arms out to his sides. The fire that surrounded his body formed a sphere that grew rapidly in all directions. It wasn't scalding hot; the quick movement of energy exploded around him and blew all his foes off their feet. There was no time to react. By the time the sphere had formed, it was already gone.

Calhoun and Bevan were laying flat on their backs, the wind knocked out of them. Cathal was out cold, having hit the ceiling, and was dropping fast. Aislin, who was also on the ground, caught sight of Cathal. She grabbed a handful of powder from a small bag tied to her belt and threw it into the air. As the griffin and the powder met, she cried out, _"LAGU! BEORC! TYR!"_ Cathal opened his eyes and spread his wings, barely making the landing. He skidded to a stop and almost fell over. He shook his head and sneezed once, getting the powder out of his nostrils.

Eclipse was still engulfed in a small sphere of flames. As the warrior and the griffin rider stood, laughter could be heard emanating from the sphere. Within seconds, fireballs shot out in every direction. Aislin and her companions dropped to the ground again, to avoid being incinerated. The curtains, however, caught on fire. As they raised their eyes, they could see Eclipse, now in his true and most powerful form. He was no longer levitating, but _slithering_ across the floor. From his waist down was a long serpentine body. His tail split in three, and at the end of each branch was a scorpion-like stinger, each one poisonous and deadly. His torso looked human, though from head to stingers he was covered in black scales. His arms were muscular, and he had sharp horns of bone protruding from his elbows. Atop his head was a crown of spikes, which traced their way down his spine. His claws were even deadlier, and his eyes themselves seemed to be on fire, just as his body was still surrounded by the flames from Hell.

Calhoun screamed an oath as he rose to his feet and attacked. Bevan followed, belting out a war cry. Cathal was again assaulting Eclipse with aerial attacks. Aislin searched her small pouches for a specific vial of liquid, on that she knew would give Calhoun, Bevan and Cathal the upper hand. Her fingers clenched it just as Eclipse let loose another wave of fireballs, knocking all to the ground except Aislin.

She held the vial of liquid in one hand, concentrating hard on her purpose. The words came to her as she raised it above her head to throw it.

_"THORN PEORDH IS!" _The words sprang from her lips as the bottle left her hand. It flew through the air and hit Eclipse in the chest. The vial shattered and the liquid splashed over his body, transforming into long tentacles as it spread. Eclipse screamed, writhing, trying to pull off the liquid limbs as they dowsed his fire. With a shriek, he slithered towards Aislin, claws aimed at her throat. She jumped back and hit the railing of the balcony. Death was staring her in the face and coming closer, and oblivion was to her back. Eclipse rushed her, hurtling both of them over the edge of the balcony, breaking the railing. He had one clawed hand around her neck while he tried to break free with his other hand. She was losing consciousness. With only one chance left, she raised her last assault vial and smashed it into his face. He screamed as the glass cut into his eyes and the potion burned like acid. He let her go, trying instead to wipe his face clean of the liquid that ate away at him.

Aislin stopped falling. She was suspended in mid air, not knowing how that had come to be. She still did not know how to levitate and was too numb to even try. She heard a friendly squawk from above her and realized that Cathal had caught her as she was falling. Her grip on consciousness grew and she smiled up at her griffin friend. Bevan and Calhoun were astride Cathal, waving down and her. They flew over the cliffs of Mac Cacht. Sure enough, Eclipse lay on one of the rock faces, still and lifeless. He had finally been defeated. With him gone, the curse was lifted and the valley began to grow green again. They could see the colors spreading as they flew over the forests and valleys. With one last vial in hand, Aislin whispered a few words.

_"Ethel…Jera…Ing…Wynn…Lagu…Eoh…Beorc…Haegl…"_ She let the vial drop to the earth, where she knew that it would help to restore the fruitfulness of the land.

"Let's go home," she called to Bevan. Cathal shrieked with delight as they headed back to Damona; he was going to get his cow after all.


	2. Griffin Quest Part II: Secrets Revealed

**Griffin Quest**

**Part II:**

**Secrets Revealed**

**I**

Bells rang out in joyous celebration as Aislin and her companions strode down the streets of Damona, with Cathal the griffin flying overhead. She blushed, waving to the crowd, wondering just _how_ Bevan and Calhoun had talked her into this.

It was exactly one year since the demon Eclipse had been defeated, and it was Aislin and her three companions who had done so. No one else would have dared to approach the mountains of Mac Cacht, and it was less likely that they would have stormed the demon's stronghold to ambush him and fight to the death. This village held naught but pleasant farmers and guilders, all of whom were powerless under Eclipse's control. If Bevan had not come injured to Aislin's door on Cathal's back, Eclipse would still hold the village and its land under his fiery control. But with Bevan and Cathal, Aislin was able to use her magic to arouse the motionless warrior deep within the caves of the Mac Cacht Mountains, and the four comrades were able to succeed where others had failed.

Aislin, in her studies, had learned to use the raw energies of her surroundings. She was taken as an apprentice under the village healer and priestess who had passed on when Eclipse came into power, leaving Aislin to continue on her own.

Bevan was a griffin rider and a creature tamer. His most faithful companion was Cathal, the griffin that he had raised from hatching, when he was only nine years old. Now, a decade later, Cathal was fully grown, standing seven feet tall with a twenty foot wingspan.

Calhoun was the legendary warrior from the springs of Borvo, deep within the caves of Mac Cacht. For ten years he lay undisturbed within the caves, neither aging nor decaying. Last year, he had been pulled back into the world by Aislin's magic, for only with his help could they defeat Eclipse.

Up the podium steps they marched, being nudged and cheered by a wave of flesh. Cathal landed next to Bevan, who stood to one side of Aislin. The crowd was quiet as Calhoun made a long speech, half of which Aislin didn't hear; she was too busy watching Bevan's movements as he groomed Cathal's feathers and fur. There was something attractive about the fluidity of his movements. He looked up and caught her eyes with his, holding them there for what seemed an eternity.

The crowd cheered. Aislin snapped back to reality. Waving and smiling, the companions climbed onto Cathal's back and shot into the air. They were not only giving the crowd a show, they were escaping their well-earned yet unwanted attention. They were heroes in the eyes of the townsfolk. To each other, they were just four friends who had done what destiny had brought them to do.

**II**

"I must return to the springs of Borvo." Calhoun's voice rang through the air as they flew. Under them, the land was green and flourishing. Just one year ago, the fertile glens that they were now soaring over had been grey wastelands. Cattle could be seen grazing below them, slowly munching away, chewing the emerald blades until they were content. Cathal eyed them and squawked; he loved fresh beef, steaming and right off the bone.

"Why must you go back to the caves of the Mac Cacht Mountains?" asked Bevan. He nudged Cathal in the side lightly, to deter his path to the flock of cows. Sighing, the griffin changed his direction and dropped closer to the ground so they could spot the blackthorn bushes that concealed the entrance to the caves. Aislin pointed and they began their dizzying spiral descent.

"For the past few weeks I have been feeling faint," Calhoun admitted after a long silence. They landed near the shrubs and dismounted. He sighed. "I believe that I must return to the springs for a day or so, so that I may be well again." He would not meet the gazes of his friends as he spoke these words, for he himself did not even know if that was what he must do. Instead, he busied himself by making sure that he had enough rations to last during his rest. Aislin approached the bushes and clasped her hands together, speaking the names of runes. As she spoke, the runes began to glow around the mouth of the cave. The entrance became clear and the bushes parted to give the travelers a clear path. They entered the cave, Aislin in the lead.

The amulet that hung around Aislin's neck shed a soft light by which they could see their surroundings. The caves themselves were cool and moist. Water could be heard dripping from the stalactites onto the floor. A fist sized salamander scurried behind a jumble of rocks as they approached, letting out a spurt of fire from its mouth as it did so. Cathal eyed it suspiciously then walked on.

_"LUMINA!"_ Aislin's voice was tender as she spoke the incantation. Spark-faeries jumped from her amulet and swarmed around the confines of the cave, illuminating everything. They had come to the coffin room, where Calhoun had lain for ten years. A warrior statue stood in the back of the room, hands folded on the hilt of his sword. The shards of the glass coffin still lay on the ground. Dull rainbow hues flashed through the pieces. The awakening spell that Aislin had used to call Calhoun was still in effect, though it was weakening.

Calhoun led the way now, three spark-faeries dancing around his head as he strode through the cave. He pressed his hand down on the interlacing fingers of the statue. Rock ground together. Dust fell from the doorway of a secret passage as it opened. The spark-faeries, excited, hurtled themselves into the darkness, lighting the way. The warrior led, followed by the apprentice priestess, the griffin rider and finally the griffin.

"Theses are the sacred springs of Borvo." Calhoun spread his hands out, as if to show the vastness of the caverns. Water trickled from stalactites into pools of the clearest water that Aislin had ever seen. A twelve foot high crag jutted out of the surface of the largest pond, collecting rapidly dripping water from the stalactites into a natural basin. This water flowed over the edge of the petite cliff, creating a luminescent waterfall. Greenery flourished on the water's edge. The spark-faeries added no glow to the springs; they were radiant by themselves, with no obvious light source except for the water itself. A calm and cool breeze blew from nowhere, as if to welcome the warrior and his companions. With that breeze came a sweet scent, the scent of herbs and healing. The wind itself was magical, refreshing and re-energizing the travelers, erasing their stresses from the day and easing their minds. Cathal and Bevan sat together, awed and relaxed. Aislin watched as Calhoun touched a fingertip to the water, closing his eyes. He seemed to draw power from the springs.

She sat with Bevan and Cathal, and a trickle of precious water landed in her hair.

**III**

"Leave me for two nights' time," Calhoun proclaimed as he pulled his shirt over his head. "I must rest. I must have absolute peace." He was very kingly for a young mortal man of twenty. His muscles flexed naturally as he removed his dragon-hide boots. "If I am to replenish my strength, I must bathe in solitude." He strode barefoot to Aislin and bowed slightly, kissing her hand. "I shall miss you," he murmured.

"And I, you," she said. Calhoun smiled and nodded, then turned to Bevan.

"Ride true," Calhoun said. Cathal approached him and nuzzled his cheek, purring as he did so. Calhoun scratched under his chin, saying, "And you, my friend, fly high." The griffin let out a soft chirp, his way of saying that he would miss the warrior as well.

"Rest, my friend," Bevan insisted. "All will be well, and if trouble stirs, we will send word." He clasped hands with Calhoun. "We will be back for you in two days time."

Turning towards the entrance of the springs, Aislin, Bevan and Cathal bid their last goodbyes. The spark-faeries circled Calhoun's head once and then flew nimbly out of the cave. Calhoun stood and watched them go, sad to be alone but happy to have time to himself to think things over. He sat at the edge of the largest pond and dipped his feet into the water. The waterfall stood proudly in the middle of the radiant water. As the luminous liquid fell from the rock face and into the basin, it created a wonderful and peaceful sound, lulling him into a meditative state. Questions that had for so long gone unanswered floated to the surface of his mind, and he could imagine them on the surface of the water in front of him. He began to talk aloud to himself, thinking that if he heard the queries spoken then he could not lie to himself when it came time to answer.

"Why was I sealed in the glass coffin?" Unsure in any explanation that would reveal it self, he stared blankly ahead and into the waterfall, as if asking the falling drops.

"Why was I sealed in the glass coffin?" His voice wavered as he asked the question again. He continued to concentrate on the falling water. A form began to take shape, shadowed at first, then clearer. It seemed to come out of the water, out of his mind, and head towards him. He blinked. It was still there. He blinked again, rubbing his eyes in disbelief. A woman stood in front of him, having come out of the waterfall itself. She was clad in seaweed only. Turquoise hair flowed smoothly from the crown of her head and around her body. Her skin shone soft aqua. Her eyes matched the garments she wore.

Calhoun blinked. Without realizing it, he had submerged himself into the waist-deep water and approached her. He woke from his contemplative state, immediately losing his balance. Stumbling to regain his composure, he fell backwards. The water was cool on his chest and face, but he lunged to the surface, gasping for breath. He looked up. The beautiful woman had been frightened by his sudden actions and was hiding behind the waterfall. He could see her peeking around the rock, as if trying to decide whether or not it was safe to come out. Calhoun stood and steadied himself. He offered her his hand, palm open and flat to show her that he meant no harm. Minutes passed. Sensing no danger, the woman stepped lithely from her hiding spot and took his hand.

"I don't know if I can answer your question," she said shyly. Her voice was light sounding. Her words were musical. Calhoun bowed and kissed her fingers lightly, as it was the proper thing to do. Her fingers had the same coolness that the water had when he had fallen backwards and immersed himself. Standing, he introduced himself.

"My name is Calhoun."

"I know," the woman almost sang. "You are known as the Calhoun, the Warrior of the Glass Coffin, but I know you as Morgan." She made those words sound like titles that he should wear with pride. She bowed gracefully, "I am called Ula, and I am but a simple water nymph."

"A simple yet lovely water nymph," Calhoun observed. She blushed. "How did you come to be here?" The curiosity in his voice could not be quelled.

"I came when you did," she replied. She sounded confused, as if Calhoun should have known the answer to that of all questions. "Do you not remember? We have been here for the greater part of one century."

Calhoun fell back into the water again, this time in shock.

**IV**

When he came to, Calhoun was laying on his back on the outskirts of the mystical pool. His skin tingled from prolonged contact with the water. The sensation made him smile. He opened his eyes slowly and saw Ula kneeling next to him. Her hair caressed his chest softly. It was not wet but it was not dry; it was cool silk on his smooth skin. Her lips formed into a smile when their eyes met.

Feeling water in his throat, Calhoun sat up quickly and turned his head away from her. He spat the water from his mouth onto the ground. Wiping his lips, he met her gaze once again. Then the last words she had spoken rose to the surface of his thoughts. He frowned. She frowned as well, more in worry than in contemplation.

"What do you mean that we have been here 'for the greater part of a century'?" he asked. He could only remember the last year, with Aislin, Bevan, and Cathal. The coffin still remained a mystery to him, though he sensed that he had been confined within its glass walls for an extended amount of time. He also felt that he could only be woken in dire circumstances. His head began to throb.

"In all honesty, I do not know how this has come to be," she murmured, stroking his hair. She slid into the water and sat comfortably on the smooth surface of a protruding boulder, wrapping her arms around her knees. Her back was to him. "All I know is that the years have passed. You have been woken before, when there was a need for your skills." Her shoulders shook as she spoke. "And after you were revived and had done what was called for, you went back to sleep. This last long rest was for a decade." She looked at him over her shoulder. "You do not age."

Calhoun looked at the palms of his hand, examining the lines and creases. He knew one of them to be his life line, from when Aislin had taught him something of palmistry. At first glance, it had seemed that there was a scar going from the palm of his hand to halfway between his wrist and his elbow. He examined it closer now and saw that it was actually his life line. Partly shocked and partly afraid, he turned his attention back to Ula.

"We have never talked before, have we?" he asked.

"No, we have not." She hesitated as she spoke. "The shrine… was built for you eleven years ago… The townspeople found you in the cave… They built it and put your body in the coffin. But, from what I know…" Her voice trailed off.

"What? I have a right to know!" He was becoming restless and even more confused as she continued.

"From what I have heard, your coffin is cursed. An omnipotent evil found out about your apparent immortality and made the coffin especially for you. This last time, when you slept, you were in the coffin instead of on the cave floor. The coffin wiped away your memories, left you with only vague feelings. That glass casket was supposed to hold you forever. How your friends broke you free, I will never know." She slid off the rock and into the water. Her back was still to him.

"Why is it that I did not sleep after we defeated Eclipse?" Calhoun asked, utterly amazed by what this nymph was telling him. "If what you are telling me is true, then why am I still awake?" He plunged himself into the water and approached her, wanting answers.

"I do not know!" Her voice cracked, and she hung her head. "I do not even know why _I_ am here! I cannot leave, either! When you were placed within that coffin, the most important details were erased from my memory as well, though I do retain some information that may be useful to you." She turned, finally, when Calhoun had placed his hand lightly on her shoulder.

"The coffin was to be bound to you," she continued, looking into his eyes.

"My friends broke the casket with a spell," Calhoun injected, trying to be helpful.

"Perhaps when your friends performed the spell, it not only affected you but the glass prison as well.

"When we came back here today, the spell was still working on the shards of the coffin. It was faint, but it was still working, even after a year." He paused, thinking over the things that Ula had said. "But if the coffin is bound to me, then the spell that is on the coffin is bound to me as well… And that means—"

"—that if the spell fades then you sleep again," Ula concluded.

"I cannot let the spell fade!" Calhoun was ecstatic yet frightened. His past was being revealed to him, bit by bit. "But what am I going to do?" He purposely dropped into the water so that only his nose and eyes were above the surface. Bubbles foamed around his head as he sighed, his mouth submerged. Ula stood in quiet contemplation. Minutes passed before she spoke again.

"You must get your priestess friend to cast the spell again, on the coffin shards. This will keep you awake for another year. Every year the spell will need to be repeated—"

"—so I should carry a shard with me, so I know how much time I have left." Ula nodded as Calhoun finished speaking. He stood under the waterfall, letting the drops glide gently down his face. Ula advanced slowly. She met him under the waterfall and laid her head on his chest. Wrapping his arms around her, he said, "I will find a way to get you out of here, I promise."

"There is one last thing I remember," she said as he let go and strode to the water's edge. He faced her.

"Yes?"

"Beware of Murrough."

**V**

Calhoun walked from the springs of Borvo, escorted by Aislin's spark-faeries. He had bid farewell to Ula that morning, not even knowing that two days had passed already. Aislin and Bevan stood waiting for him in the coffin room; Cathal was outside, having not wanted to go back into the caves. As he met his friends again, Calhoun bent down and sorted through the shards of the glass prison. The pieces still glowed with a soft light, although the smaller bits had faded completely. He stood, having chosen a piece that he would turn into an amulet. Aislin looked at him questioningly.

"What is that for?" asked Bevan, before Aislin could say anything.

"It is… complicated," Calhoun replied, a tone of seriousness in his voice. He handed the shard to Aislin, saying, "I need you to cast the awakening spell." She was examining the piece of crystal that he had handed to her. It was approximately two inches long, coming to a point at one end. Altogether, it looked like a teardrop. When she realized what Calhoun had said, she looked up at him, baffled.

"What?"

"I need you to cast the same spell on that piece of crystal that you used to wake me up." His voice started to quaver as he finished his sentence. A sensation of cool water rising began, numbing his toes and feet. As soon as his toes were numb, he knew he did not have time to waste. Frantically, he closed Aislin's hands over the teardrop, saying, "Please, just do as I ask! I will explain later; there is no time to talk now." The deadened feeling coursed its way up his calves. His knees buckled. The feeling was neither pleasurable nor painful, but cold, a feeling of nothingness. He gasped, falling hard on one knee, yet he did not feel the blow. Ice raced up his thighs.

"I will try." Aislin's voice trembled and her eyes were wide with fear. She closed her hands around the crystal, concentrating on the stone. Her lips moved and words of power could be heard rising and falling. Her eyes opened in shock as she realized that she had none of her powders with her. Searching the ground, she found traces of the powders that she had used one year ago. She bent over quickly, grabbing a handful of the undisturbed dusts and held them to the crystal as she finished her spell. The crystal began to glow, first a deep red, then onto orange and the rest of the colors of the rainbow.

Calhoun, now flat on his stomach on the ground, gasped, clutching at his chest. The pain began to leave his legs, his body, his being. Warmth returned to him gradually. He sat up. Bewildered, Bevan took a step back, retreating to the far wall.

"Thank you, my friend." Calhoun's voice was filled with gratitude and compassion. "I owe you my life." Aislin's expression was one of confusion, fright, suspicion. Smiling, Calhoun stood and hugged her, giving her a kiss on the cheek. Bevan, as courageous as he was supposed to be, was still huddled against stone. "Fear not, Bevan, for I am well again. I will tell you both my tale once we are outside." Bevan nodded, turning and leading the way down the tunnel to the entrance; having come to know it so well, he did not need the guidance of the spark-faeries. Aislin followed, her small source of light dancing around her head. Behind her remained Calhoun.

Turning, he saw that Ula was still at the entrance of the springs. He bowed to her as the passageway closed. "I promise that I'll set you free."

**VI**

When they all met up outside the caves and were in the air upon Cathal, Calhoun told him his tale of how he met Ula and of how she revealed his past to him. In his fist was the crystal, which he held so tightly that his knuckles turned white and the blood left his finger.

"So you see," he concluded, "I must keep something of the coffin with me if I am to remain conscious. I am bound to that coffin by means of black magick and sorcery." He sighed, watching as the landscape flew by quickly. Aislin nodded, understanding.

"At least you know of your past now," she said, sadness in her voice. There was a long pause as no one spoke. After a minute of deep silence, Bevan's voice sounded.

"We must go to Bram," he said. "It's a port-town not too far from Damona. They've been having some trouble with a water demon, and the chief of the town called for us to help, after hearing about how we defeated Eclipse."

"When did you learn of this trouble?" Calhoun asked, having to shout as the wind took his voice back and away. He gagged, coughed, and spit up a small flying beetle that had found its way into his throat.

"The chief of Bram sent word, which we received after we left you at the springs. We didn't want to disturb your rest, so we sent the messenger back telling him that we'd come soon."

"I doubt that the messenger has returned to Bram," Aislin put in, looking over her shoulder at Calhoun, who sat behind her. "It is a five day walk through the Forest of Brona." Calhoun raised an eyebrow, though Aislin had already turned back and could not see.

"Why can't we just fly over?" he asked. "Cathal can do anything, can't you, boy?" The griffin squawked happily as he heard his name.

"There is some kind of barrier around the woods, making it impossible to fly across," Aislin said. "We have to walk."

"Then walk we shall," Calhoun said.

They landed near Damona and walked into town, to Aislin's house where they all stayed. After Bevan and the others had entered her life, Aislin had expanded her abode so that they would all have a room for themselves; she even added a lovely stall for Cathal, which was the size of a barn and connected to the house. The men of the village had built the extensions for her after Eclipse had been defeated, free of charge.

They went inside and packed their things, ready to leave within the hour. After they bid the villagers farewell, they headed towards Bram on foot, Cathal walking as well, though it did not suit him. Night had fallen just when the forest was coming into view. They set up camp but did not bother with a fire, as Aislin's spark-faeries lit up their site.

"Tell me," Calhoun inquired once they were all comfortably situated. "Do we know the name of this demon that terrorizes Bram?" Aislin looked up at him, remembering what Ula had told him in the springs.

"Yes," she said, her glance downcast for a moment. "It is Murrough."


End file.
